Touch of an Angel
by kim-onka
Summary: AU, Fai/Sakura. Her hair was beaded with dew which shimmered magically, adorning her with a diadem as if of curve-shaped jewels. She danced their enchanted dance on until the last delicate notes withered to silence. One-shot. Please Read, Enjoy & Review.


Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle belongs to CLAMP. The song "A new day has come" is sung by Ms Celine Dion and so belongs to her and other respective copyright holders.

Warning: High levels of AUness and considerable levels of abstraction.

It is strongly recommended to listen to "A new day has come" before or even during reading this story, as in my opinion it helps set the mood. If you think you can trust the author.

Enjoy~

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_A new day has...come_

~*~

The first thing she felt was a delicate stroke of zephyr on her cheek, like a lover's touch trailing the dry lines of the tears from the past. Then the faint gust twirled around her head, tangling the strands of her hair only to untangle them again with another swift blow; it fondled her bare arms, unfolded the shawl draped on her shoulders to let it fall freely on her back.

She drew a deep breath which filled her with a sense of bright freshness, otherwise floating in the air everywhere about her, and opened her eyes to the dim aura of the slowly breaking day. A loose curtain of whispering leaves quivered under her fingers, causing silvery droplets to run down in eager silence. Everything felt, appeared, smelled and sounded distinctly novel, as if either the world or she has been born anew from the shadows of the night.

Stepping forward through the blades of grass tickling her feet, she pulled the green threads aside to let her gaze search for further signs of the anticipated sun whose radiating crown had already emerged above the horizon.

And then she saw him.

~*~

_I was waiting for so long_

_For a miracle to come_

~*~

He walked unsteadily, swept by the relentless wind, with each alternative pace close to actually tripping yet always supported in the last moment by a stream of brisk air enveloping his entire figure. The long sleeves and purple-laced collar of his white tunic fluttered against the blows, although nowhere near as wildly as his fair hair, which danced around his face, onto it and away again.

Uncertain as for the aim of his wander, he would still obediently let his bare feet tap the carpet of greenness with another step provoked by the nudging puffs. But at that moment the wind faded somewhat, allowing him to stabilize and slow his movements. He inhaled the morning spray suspended in the air likewise rain halted in time and space, left to permeate this distant place.

And then he saw her.

~*~

_Through the darkness and good times _

_I knew I'd make it through_

~*~

He halted at her sight, freezing where he stood, and the beams of light were sprinkled around him. The waves of air played lazily with his fringe, covering and uncovering the wide-open eyes which were taking in the picture in front of them.

Hesitantly, she took one more pace, this time not merely forward, but in his direction, as something inside her urged to approach the lone intruder. She saw him blink, shake free of his stupor, and move towards her, his hand rising to meet her withdrawn arm as if their palms were a pair of butterflies drifting on the currents of atmosphere.

And then, exactly like butterflies, they were suddenly separated by an unexpected blow.

~*~

_And the world thought I had it all _

_But I was waiting for you _

~*~

He backed a bit, careful not lose the view of her slender form, also retreating slightly after the abrupt interruption. Her hair was beaded with dew which shimmered magically, adorning her with a diadem as if of curve-shaped jewels. She seemed woven from the mist and the brightness, ethereal akin to a dream too vague to withstand the haste of awakening, a dream engraved in his heart despite the forgetfulness of the mind.

The outstretched hand he laid on his chest as he gave her a deep bow of greeting, admiration, and invitation. Lifting his gaze, he noticed her curtsey lithely in wordless understanding as the now mild wind began to form into melodious variations of mellow tunes oscillating on the verges of consciousness.

And then they reached towards each other once more.

~*~

_Hush, love_

_I see a light in the sky _

_Oh, it's almost blinding me _

~*~

Their fingers almost touched when their hands stopped parallel in the air not even a few centimetres apart. The zephyr was swishing around them in soft tones while she turned and took the first little step on her tiptoes, never averting her look from his eyes which reflected the ever-changing, blending blues of the sky above their heads.

He was like a well-known stranger, like someone emerging from half-forgotten earliest memories with all the familiarity of an old friend and all the novelty of a first love; like she had been waiting for him to come without even realising her longing before he appeared in front of her.

They went on, their paces marking a ring around the shadow of their all but joined hands. When her feet landed on his footprint, she removed her arm which swung as she pirouetted swiftly only to let the alternative pair of their hands meet to indicate the centre of a new circle, again and again.

And then their palms eventually touched.

~*~

_I can't believe _

_I've been touched by an angel with love_

~*~

Her hand was velvety in the vein of a rose petal; with the radiance infiltrating the air her eyes exhibited the saturated green of young birch leaves. The shawl slung on her back soared in the resemblance of wings each time she twirled with a gust of breeze, following the harmonious air surrounding the two of them.

After a while the wind-sung melody vibrated with new, gentle notes and he took hold of both her hands, leading her into a dance which was not one of two individuals, but of a single pair. Her steps were gracefully light among the scattered blots of sunshine and jingling, crystalline drops of rain which began falling occasionally from the sky. One lost globule lay for a short spell on her lashes before traveling down her cheek, washing away the traces of past tears.

And then she smiled at him.

~*~

_Let the rain come down and wash away my tears _

_Let it fill my soul and drown my fears_

~*~

The smile was born inside her soul from a vivid tune and a soft touch; it infused her with unvoiced cheer and hung between them, mirrored in his eyes, a connection even more intimate than the tightly held palms. Only later did it creep to her lips and bent them upwards, and when a moment later his mouth followed the suit, he drew her yet closer to himself, placing a hand around her waist as her liberated fingers rested on his shoulder.

She felt the reassuring warmth of his body and the coils of wind snaking around them. Everything was like a dream, she realised hazily, but she was unable to tell whose dream it would be: her own, his, a shared dream of them both or one of some unknown third person? A feeling of fondness surfaced in her at the thought of being his dream, and she danced their enchanted dance on until the last delicate notes withered to silence.

And then she pulled him down to kneel on the grass before her, their hands and gazes invariably locked.

~*~

_Where it was dark now there's light _

_Where there was pain now there's joy_

~*~

He would not let go of her for the fear that she would disappear, vanish like mist, like an elusive flicker, like an unseizable dream gone in the blink of an eye. Her silky dress, which fell loosely about her knees, appeared as if a pale-violet corolla of a pasque flower draped on her arms and around her waist; the scarf, in its fineness alike to a spider's web, still wavered erratically.

The look of her eyes was one of tender affection when she lifted his hand for her cheek to lean against and with her own fingers reached to caress his face, as though in the intention of helping him believe in the reality of her existence. A single dew-brilliant dropped from her bangs and slid along the back of his hand, leaving her soft skin untainted.

And then it was their smiles that touched, ultimately sealing the charm binding them together.

~*~

_Where there was weakness, I found my strength _

_All in the eyes of a boy_

_

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Author's Note

Hey, I'm still alive… yes… I can hardly believe it too.

I suppose there was something I wanted to say…. Something like…

Oh crap, it's a morning yet again. But at last something positive! Because it's an AU…

The words of this story are dedicated to all those who gave me kind words of their own, and particularly those who declared they wished for my words (_id est _Watchers).

Disappointment comes in different forms, but one should never cease to be hopeful.

An indecisive author should avoid making declarations.

If I ever, by some chance, post a story you would like to read but cannot understand, let me know and I shall try and fix it for you.

Now, please review! Even if you're not a member. Miss kim-onka shall be happy.

(I'm cold… I want Fai's cloak to keep me warm… :3)


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